Prince Harry might want a Royal Family reunion to bring his brother Prince William and father King Charles back into his life, but the latter reportedly isn’t as motivated to end the strife.
It seems as if the “spare” prince can do no right in the eyes of his family and an unforgiving British public, but Harry’s goal has always been to ultimately repair the relationships torn apart by his marriage to Meghan Markle and the decision to cut ties with Kensington Palace.
However, his calls go unanswered. “He gets ‘unavailable right now,'” an unnamed royal insider claimed in People Magazine. “He has tried to reach out about the King’s health, but those calls go unanswered too.”
They’ve rarely been together since the initial rift between father and son in 2020. Harry and Meghan live in Montecito, California, making visits harder, and Harry’s last trip to the U.K. to see Charles was under strenuous circumstances. The pair met up in Feb. 2024, shortly after Charles’ cancer diagnosis. Their communication deteriorated afterward, claimed People’s several sources.
“Harry is frightened and feels the only person who can do anything about it is his father,” someone close to the situation said. “Harry is determined to protect his own family at all costs.” They could be referencing the father of two’s choice to travel solo to the U.K., leaving his wife in the U.S.
Harry voiced fears about Meghan’s safety in the July 2024 documentary Tabloids on Trial. “All it takes is one lone actor,” he said in the ITV film, pointing to these “genuine concerns” for the reluctance to bring his family back to England.
The sources also alleged Harry’s revoked private security is at the heart of the breakdown of communication. The Duke of Sussex lost his court battle to restore it in early 2024. The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures has the power to grant tax-payer-funded police protection on behalf of the U.K. government, however, Harry offered to pay for it himself.
That proposition was rejected in court, and “a friend” claimed that Charles’ lack of intervention shifted communication from frustration to “complete silence.” They also alleged that the monarchy fears Harry is eclipsing the institution the same way his mother, Princess Diana, did when she exited before her death.
“Charles’ fear is a repeat of the past,” they said. “When his wife divorced the institution, she took the headlines, overshadowed his work, and became a global superstar. Seeing his son leave with his wife was not part of the plan.”
History has an eerie way of repeating itself. There is a mirroring here, in the sense that Harry followed in Diana’s footsteps, deciding to put his own needs above royal duties, which some people in the U.K. view as archaic.
Whatever happens with his father, there are more people to attempt reparations with. His relationship with William has rusted over, and, by extension, he doesn’t see sister-in-law Kate Middleton or his nephews and niece often either. This one might take more than a phone call.
Published: Nov 7, 2024 07:07 am